The Adult Community Rehabilitation Team (ACRT) is an interdisciplinary team made up of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech & language therapists, neuro and clinical psychologists, dieticians, rehab assistants and administrators. ACRT aims to enhance the health, independence and well being of adults living in the community with a physical or neurological disability. Please see our Team leaflet [pdf].
ACRT works together with our clients to identify rehabilitation goals and offer tailor-made programmes to work towards achieving these. We are able to offer appointments in the home but also elsewhere including: clinic; place of work or study and community sites such as a gym or swimming pool. We will work with clients for around six sessions and review goals to determine progress, further intervention and future plans
We aim to:
- help people make choices about their disability or condition and adjust to the impact on their lives.
- help clients to manage their health conditions and maximise their independence
- help people access community services such as leisure centres and voluntary organisations
- prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital
- intervention for conditions such as rhuematoid and osteoarthritis, pain and falls
- provide specialist intervention for progressive neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, acquired brain injury including stroke
- help clients to improve their function following hospital admission
Physiotherapists help to improve walking and moving independently. They provide exercises and advice for physical, respiratory and neurological symptoms for clients and their family/carers.
Occupational Therapists work with people to increase their ability to carry out every day tasks e.g. washing, drerssing, cooking, return to work, coping with memory difficulties, managing tiredness and fatigue.
Speech and Language Therapists support people and those around them to understand and manage communication and swallowing difficulties.
Dietitians assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems using the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease. They translate this information into practical guidance to enable clients to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices. In ACRT dietitians are integral members of the multi-disciplinary team. They treat complex clinical conditions such as malnutrition; COPD, IBS, obesity, hypercholesterolaemia, neurological conditions (such as stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease) and single food allergy and intolerance.
Clinical Psychologists complete specialist assessment and treatment for people who have experienced changes in their behaviours, emotions and/or thinking skills (e.g. memory).
Rehabilitation Assistants assist therapists to carry out the therapy required to achieve client rehabilitation goals.
ACRT also has a number of more specialist roles including:
Consultant Allied Health Professional in Neurological Rehabilitation who is able to provide specialist assessment, intervention and support to people with neurological conditions and local teams, neuronavigation and provide strategic support to develop neurological rehabilitation pathways across the Homerton and City and Hackney communities and the wider area.
Neuro navigators: led by the AHP consultant, the neuro-navigation service has also been developed to provide long term support and case management to City and Hackney residents who have specialist neurological rehabilitation needs. They provide assessment and make recommendations for people who require specialist neurological rehabilitation packages in the hospital or at home and support transitions from the hospital through the neurological rehabilitation pathway to the community.
Referral form for Neuro Navigator - AHP consultant
tel 020 7683 4541
ACRT has specialist practitioners who work with people with a City of London or Hackney GP, providing specialist assessment, treatment advice and support.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Specialist Practitioner
The MS specialist practitioner provides specialist advice and support to anyone with Multiple sclerosis (MS) in the City of London and Hackney. Appointments can be made at home and as an outpatient for:
- newly diagnosed support and education
- treatment options and self-management strategies which delay disease progression
- symptom management support
- regular reviews are offered at home
- support regarding new health needs, including relapses
- coordination of care for people with complex needs, who require more intensive input to manage symptoms and maximise the quality of life
- support education and training for professionals working within the City and Hackney.
Palliative Care Occupational Therapist (OT)
The Palliative care occupational therapist provides specialist rehabilitation and support for adults with palliative or life-limiting conditions who are experiencing functional difficulties as a result of disease progression, no matter how long or short their prognosis.
The needs of each client will vary however working in partnership with the client the palliative care occupational therapist will aim to develop achievable goals to maximise independence and quality of life. They aim to do this by reducing the extent to which disease interferes with a person’s physical, psychological, social and cognitive functioning.
It is hoped that palliative care occupational therapy input can be offered at the earliest opportunity in order to enable clients to live well and lead productive and fulfilling lives in their own homes for as long as possible.
The Palliative Care Occupational Therapy working hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm. The community palliative care OT in Hackney is based within the adult community rehab team and collaborates closely with multiple teams including:
- community palliative care team, St Joseph's Hospice
- inpatient therapy team, St Joseph's Hospice
- Homerton Hospital
Links have also been made with the oncology services at St Bart's, various hospices around London and the University College London Cancer Collaborative.
All urgent referrals made to the palliative care occupational therapist will be assessed within 5 days of receiving the referral. If you feel that the person is at risk of being admitted to hospital if they do not receive a rapid multidisciplinary assessment or that there are safeguarding issues that put them at immediate risk and will need to be seen within 3 days then please refer to Integrated Independence Team on 020 8510 7750.
Referrals can be made via the adult community rehabilitation team screening line via the iSPA referral form by any health care professional, clients who have been known to the adult community rehabilitation team can also self refer.
Email huh-tr.acrtreferrals@nhs.net
Tel 020 7683 4148 10am – 4pm
To discuss or make a referral then please contact the ACRT screening line on 020 7683 4148
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Specialist Practitioner
The PD specialist practitioner provides specialist advice and support to anyone with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in the City of London and Hackney. The Parkinson’s Disease Practitioner works alongside consultants in the Movement Disorder’s Clinic in Homerton Hospital. Support can be provided over the phone, at home or in clinic, including:
- symptom management including medication review, self-management strategies and onward referrals to community services
- advocate and coordinate care for patients with Parkinson’s Disease
- support for education and training professionals working within the City and Hackney
Telephone: 020 7683 4382 (if known to ACRT)
020 8510 5048 / 5096 (if known to the Homerton Movement Disorders Clinic)
Enhanced Practice in Care homes (EPiC) Service
The EPiC service is a small therapy team consisting of a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Speech & Language Therapist who are embedded into the four Nursing Homes in Hackney (Beis Pinchos, Mary Seacole, Acorn Lodge & St Anne’s).
They work in each home one day per week and are linked-in closely with the nurses, care staff, GP’s & activity coordinators in each, with the overall aim to improve the quality of life of residents and staff.
The team assess all new resident admissions within one week of arrival and review any existing residents that staff highlight as having urgent therapy needs or concerns.
EPiC therapy input includes:
- MDT initial assessments
- falls assessments
- posture & positioning assessments
- transfer/mobility/balance assessments
- seating assessments
- spasticity management
- splinting/orthotics
- communication assessment and input
- joint sessions with carers/family members
- specialist physio input (vestibular/ respiratory)
If the team feel a resident has rehab potential and would benefit from further therapy input they will refer on to the community therapy teams.
Contact: huh-tr.epic.hackney@nhs.net
City and Hackney Proactive Care Service
We work with residents of City and Hackney with multiple long-term conditions and frailty earlier on in their healthcare journey. We offer residents the opportunity to work with their assigned Care Coordinator to co-produce a personalised care and support plan. By doing so we hope to reduce their need for urgent or unplanned health and social care services.
What’s the inclusion criteria for the service?
- aged 65 and over
- diagnosed with 3 or more long term health conditions
- an eFI (Electronic Frailty Index) Score of Moderate to Severe Frailty
- residents that are housebound or considered palliative will not be offered the service
*the criteria may be adjusted in certain neighbourhoods according to local need
Does the team accept referrals?
No
We identify residents by searching for them according to our criteria using the EMIS system. We also have a partnership with Volunteer Centre Hackney who can refer to us but currently do not accept referrals from anyone else.